1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to the field of office communication systems including telephone and data communication systems such as Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN). More particularly, this invention relates to communication system particularly well suited for business telephone systems which must frequently deal with moves and changes of offices and personnel.
2. Background
Traditionally, the administration of moves and changes of communication lines such as telephone lines, has been handled by the local telephone company with a service order. The customer generally pays a substantial fee for such services (for example Centrex service) from the telephone company. Industry has recognized that such charges can be very costly and large customers have substantially reduced such costs by installation of Private Area Branch Exchange (PABX) type equipment in order to take control of such changes themselves. This has been a very popular way to reduce telephone charges in recent years. Unfortunately, PABX equipment is quite expensive and frequently requires full time personnel to operate and maintain to assure continuous uninterrupted telephone service. Therefore, PABX equipment remains a solution primarily for larger bases of telephone line users.
This disclosure describes a method whereby centrex type service users may have capabilities to administer changes in their Customer Premise Environment (CPE) equipment configuration without the intervention of the serving telephone company or a Government entity providing such telephone service. The method allows customers to manage reassignment of communication lines to end users based on the changing requirements within the CPE, without the telephone company service order and without the use of centralized equipment for call processing such as PABX or keysystem. This is especially well suited to small to medium sized customers but may be used with larger customers also. The present invention offers Centrex users efficient and economical way of reassigning communication lines to end users.